For release: July 7, 1998
Contacts:
Iver Anderson, 515-294-4446
Susan Dieterle, 515-294-1405
AMES, Iowa -- A third licensing agreement has been signed for lead-free solder alloys
developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Ames Laboratory, making
the solder available throughout Asia.
Nihon Superior Co., a Japanese solder manufacturer, signed an agreement to make, use and
sell lead-free solder based on compositions patented by Ames Laboratory. Nihon
manufactures solder paste, wire and ingots, and has a broad industrial customer base
throughout Asia. Among its customers are Matsushita, which manufactures home electronics,
and Toyota.
"The Nihon agreement is the final piece in the worldwide licensing of our lead-free
solder. It gives us access to markets in Japan and the Far East," says Iver Anderson,
director of the Lab's Metallurgy and Ceramics Program and leader of the team that
developed the lead-free solder alloy. "Nihon's clients include some of the large
industrial giants in Japan, and we are pleased that our lead-free solder will be available
to them."
The solder developed by Anderson and a team of scientists from Ames Laboratory and Sandia
National Laboratory is an alloy of tin, silver and copper. They wanted to come up with a
lead-free solder composition with the same potential for widespread use as tin-lead
solder, which is the current industry standard. Eliminating lead from solder is part of an
overall effort to exclude lead from all commercial products because of its toxic
properties, even at very low concentrations.
In addition to its environmental advantages, lead-free solder is as easy to use as
tin-lead solder, but is stronger and performs better in high-heat conditions, like those
found in car engines.
Nihon is the third company to sign a licensing agreement for lead-free solder. The first
was signed in May 1995 with Johnson Manufacturing, an Iowa-based company that produces
solder wire and ingots for industrial applications. In October 1997, an agreement was
signed with Multicore Solders, a European-based company with a large manufacturing plant
in Texas. Multicore sells solder to electronics and automotive industries throughout the
world.
After patenting the original alloy composition, Anderson and the rest of the team
continued to look for ways to improve it. They are now patenting a second version of the
alloy. The licensing agreement with all three companies -- Nihon, Johnson and Multicore --
covers both compositions.
Ames Laboratory is operated for the DOE by Iowa State University. The Lab conducts
research in various areas of national concern, including energy resources, high-speed
computer design, environmental cleanup and restoration, and the synthesis and study of new
materials.
Last revision: 7/16/98 sd